Traction Control
09-27-2006, 04:57 AM
#1
1st Gear Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 87
Traction Control
Ok, odd thing. I usually get in the car, turn it on and reach for the traction control button to turn it off before I start moving.
I've noticed a couple of things, though, leaving it on. The car accelerates smoother, handles better, shifts easier, the suspension soaks up more bumps in the road and my exhaust doesn't pop and crackle as much. I also noticed that a lot of the weird ticks and rattles that sometimes come up are completely gone.
The car feels a 100 times better with the trac on, but I just don't get the seat of the pants acceleration that I get with it off.
Now, how could that be? Doesn't traction control just help to control/eliminate rear wheel spin?
I know I'm not crazy here. The car runs better overall, minus the really fast pick ups. So many components of the car should not be affected my the traction control alone. Anybody know what's going on?
I've noticed a couple of things, though, leaving it on. The car accelerates smoother, handles better, shifts easier, the suspension soaks up more bumps in the road and my exhaust doesn't pop and crackle as much. I also noticed that a lot of the weird ticks and rattles that sometimes come up are completely gone.
The car feels a 100 times better with the trac on, but I just don't get the seat of the pants acceleration that I get with it off.
Now, how could that be? Doesn't traction control just help to control/eliminate rear wheel spin?
I know I'm not crazy here. The car runs better overall, minus the really fast pick ups. So many components of the car should not be affected my the traction control alone. Anybody know what's going on?
09-27-2006, 05:04 AM
#2
5th Gear Member
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Miami, FL
Posts: 2,284
RE: Traction Control
I don't know man, never noticed, but I have to think it may all be in your head. As far as I know, all traction control does is mess with the engine's timing and maybe some other things when your wheels start spinning. It shouldn't have any effect on anything else.
09-27-2006, 11:55 AM
#3
1st Gear Member
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Springdale, AR
Posts: 65
RE: Traction Control
Typically, on vehicles in this price range, traction control only retards timing on acceleration and cycles the ABS until wheel spin stops. Cars like Cadillac, Audi, BMW, that have stability control, will have eloctronic manipulation of the shocks. That is not available on a Mustang.
09-27-2006, 12:28 PM
#5
1st Gear Member
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: NJ
Posts: 124
RE: Traction Control
kinda a stupid question.. sorry.. but i always wondered.. when i get in and turn the car on the orange light on the trac control OFF is lit up.. does that mean its on and push to turn of.. or its off when the car starts? Thanks
09-27-2006, 12:31 PM
#6
4th Gear Member
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Roanoke, VA
Posts: 1,681
RE: Traction Control
ORIGINAL: yetihairball
Ok, odd thing. I usually get in the car, turn it on and reach for the traction control button to turn it off before I start moving.
I've noticed a couple of things, though, leaving it on. The car accelerates smoother, handles better, shifts easier, the suspension soaks up more bumps in the road and my exhaust doesn't pop and crackle as much. I also noticed that a lot of the weird ticks and rattles that sometimes come up are completely gone.
The car feels a 100 times better with the trac on, but I just don't get the seat of the pants acceleration that I get with it off.
Now, how could that be? Doesn't traction control just help to control/eliminate rear wheel spin?
I know I'm not crazy here. The car runs better overall, minus the really fast pick ups. So many components of the car should not be affected my the traction control alone. Anybody know what's going on?
Ok, odd thing. I usually get in the car, turn it on and reach for the traction control button to turn it off before I start moving.
I've noticed a couple of things, though, leaving it on. The car accelerates smoother, handles better, shifts easier, the suspension soaks up more bumps in the road and my exhaust doesn't pop and crackle as much. I also noticed that a lot of the weird ticks and rattles that sometimes come up are completely gone.
The car feels a 100 times better with the trac on, but I just don't get the seat of the pants acceleration that I get with it off.
Now, how could that be? Doesn't traction control just help to control/eliminate rear wheel spin?
I know I'm not crazy here. The car runs better overall, minus the really fast pick ups. So many components of the car should not be affected my the traction control alone. Anybody know what's going on?
i dont notice any deiiference...
the only difference i notice, is when i grab a gear. T/C on = bog down, little green light....T/C off = smooth shift, rear end all over road...
09-27-2006, 01:56 PM
#7
5th Gear Member
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Whitehall, Michigan
Posts: 2,638
RE: Traction Control
There should be no difference with the T/C on or off as long as the wheels aren't losing traction.
The system uses the ABS sensors for the rear to detect wheelspin, when it does... it starts by lightly applying the brakes in the same way that the ABS does, if the spin gets worse, or is already really bad, it will do one of two things... start applying the brakes harder or retard engine timing (the time between this step and the first is about a half a second), if this second measure doesn't correct the wheel spin, it will do the other of the two choices mentioned previously, ending with the engine timing retarded, and the brakes being applied hard, this is enough to stall out a stock GT even on ice and in 1st gear. The system will stop applying the brakes as soon as the wheel spin stops (but the light will stay on), if the timing was retarded, it will return to normal in two seconds with no spin, and the light will turn off.
When I forget to turn it off and do a launch from a stop where I want to spin the tires, it comes to a stop pretty quick, because when it backs off the timing it's like running into a wall [:@] but it sure does stop the spin in a hurry.
Edit: When the light for the trac off button is ON, the traction control system is off. The car starts with the system on. You can get a tune to turn it off permanently.
The system uses the ABS sensors for the rear to detect wheelspin, when it does... it starts by lightly applying the brakes in the same way that the ABS does, if the spin gets worse, or is already really bad, it will do one of two things... start applying the brakes harder or retard engine timing (the time between this step and the first is about a half a second), if this second measure doesn't correct the wheel spin, it will do the other of the two choices mentioned previously, ending with the engine timing retarded, and the brakes being applied hard, this is enough to stall out a stock GT even on ice and in 1st gear. The system will stop applying the brakes as soon as the wheel spin stops (but the light will stay on), if the timing was retarded, it will return to normal in two seconds with no spin, and the light will turn off.
When I forget to turn it off and do a launch from a stop where I want to spin the tires, it comes to a stop pretty quick, because when it backs off the timing it's like running into a wall [:@] but it sure does stop the spin in a hurry.
Edit: When the light for the trac off button is ON, the traction control system is off. The car starts with the system on. You can get a tune to turn it off permanently.
09-27-2006, 02:37 PM
#8
5th Gear Member
Join Date: Jan 2006
Posts: 2,504
RE: Traction Control
ORIGINAL: yetihairball
I also noticed that a lot of the weird ticks and rattles that sometimes come up are completely gone.
I also noticed that a lot of the weird ticks and rattles that sometimes come up are completely gone.
09-27-2006, 04:40 PM
#10
1st Gear Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 87
RE: Traction Control
I believe that it does retard the engine timings, that would make sense.
Yeah, the car just feels smoother. How about this...
What if the person who had the car before me (i'm the 2nd owner) got a tune for the car? Would it be possible that leaving the trac on would set the car to a factory setting? Now, I don't know if the car has a tune or not...but with the trac off I get 20-22 mpg, with it on I typically get 17-18. I know this because I've run the car with trac off most of the time so I know its typical gas mileage. I've also run the car with it on every now and again because of the nicer "feel" of the car, and I notice that my gas mileage just isn't as good, which is why I usually go back to turning it off.
Most people with a tune turn off the trac through the tune, but does anybody, with a tune, notice a change by selecting it to be on?
ORIGINAL: Brute03
so you get no rattles with the t/c on? hmmm.... did i mention i provide psychiatric services?
ORIGINAL: yetihairball
I also noticed that a lot of the weird ticks and rattles that sometimes come up are completely gone.
I also noticed that a lot of the weird ticks and rattles that sometimes come up are completely gone.
What if the person who had the car before me (i'm the 2nd owner) got a tune for the car? Would it be possible that leaving the trac on would set the car to a factory setting? Now, I don't know if the car has a tune or not...but with the trac off I get 20-22 mpg, with it on I typically get 17-18. I know this because I've run the car with trac off most of the time so I know its typical gas mileage. I've also run the car with it on every now and again because of the nicer "feel" of the car, and I notice that my gas mileage just isn't as good, which is why I usually go back to turning it off.
Most people with a tune turn off the trac through the tune, but does anybody, with a tune, notice a change by selecting it to be on?
